


Castle And Dragon

by Rotschild



Series: Monsters and Heroes [9]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 19:12:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14432250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rotschild/pseuds/Rotschild
Summary: In the place where ancient dragons rest, Jesse got himself a second start as well as an unfortunate end.





	Castle And Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> Genji has the most satisfying dying sounds ever.  
> And I love Genjis ult. He's just so into it. Roar!  
> Don't know if I even hear that right, it just makes me laugh every time xD
> 
> Well, I guess I wouldn't get nice and trusting with a guy that I know for nearly killing my bestie. So of course I invent an absolute bullshit scenario to somehow correct that. I am kind of a romantic at heart, too °.O

It didn't occur often anymore that the higher ups held meetings without the rest of the strike team. Mostly because none of them held any actual legal authority anymore. But sometimes 'the elder council' of Amari, Soldier, Reinhardt and Torbjörn still came together and discussed stuff before the younglings got informed. Usually it was about controlling emotional outbursts over new intel that maybe wasn't even real or relevant.

Jesse never liked that other people could decide for him what he needed to know. It reminded him too much of Blackwatch and old Overwatch procedures. It wasn't that he didn't trust his seniors, he just preferred his intel hot and juicy.

But he guessed sometimes a little discussion beforehand, about how to break the news especially, wasn't a wrong way of approaching touchy subjects.

As Genji got summoned by Ana in the late afternoon Jesse exchanged a quick look with Zenyatta and both of them followed close behind even if they weren't allowed inside the meeting room. Jesse waited with a sudden feeling of dread for over an hour like a lost puppy, till Genji got out again.

Jesse didn't know what it was about, but it wasn't hard to notice Genjis deeply unsettled state. He couldn't read his face of course, but Genjis synthetic muscles quivered so much, Jesse could hear the rattling of his armor while his carbon fiber joints ground audibly together.

The final hint was Genji reaching out to hold onto his Arm, the real one. Jesse knew instantly whatever was spoken about inside, it happened to be a huge deal and meant lots of trouble for everyone involved.

"Soldier got a lead on my brother", Genji rasped and Jesse felt all color leaving his face.

Well shit...

Couldn't 'anyone' stay dead or gone these days...?

\------

By sundown all active agents were called together for an open discussion about whether they should act on the new information they got on one Hanzo Shimada, or not.

Not only was it a sore Subject for anyone who knew and loved Genji enough to ask some questions, but also was it a pretty tricky one. They had youngsters on board who never came in touch with the name of Shimada at all. Also was it hard to talk about the crimes and faults of a faceless man.

Hanzo Shimada was not only the head of a well known yakuza clan, even if the clan itself no longer existed, he was also a freaking sharpshooting nightmare and a full on deadly ninja assassin. He seemed to ninja himself everywhere and never left a trace to follow. There wasn't even a picture to show for who they would be even searching for.

"Where did you even get the tip off?!", asked Jesse while he wanted to gnaw through Morrisons throat for telling Genji about this. Genji wasn't well when talk about his brother came up. It just wasn't a good Idea...!

The Soldier sat in his chair, his arms folded on his chest and hummed deep and thoughtful. "An active Talon operative contacted me this morning", he said. He used Athenas interface on the conference table to open a simple email on the virtual screen. It was a hideous thing in dark purple color and biting pink letters. Jesses eyes started to itch just from reading three lines of simple text.

'Our guys will go for dragon boy Shimada.  
Be faster, pretty boy ;)  
No worries, I'll even give you his position. Be ready!'

"You told them that your usual contact is Gabe, right?", asked Jesse skeptically. Winston looked uncomfortable between him and the Soldier. "Yes... Yes he did."

The Soldier tilted his head in Jesses direction but didn't falter at all. "Gabe doesn't get in touch with me like that. Official ComLines are way too unsafe. If he has something to say, he spawns out of nowhere and kicks the crap out of me while giving me the hint personally."

He laughed while Angela wrinkled her nose in silent anger. God bless he didn't let her gather her breath for a lecture about personal safety and healthy outlets for old resentment. "No, this is from his closest associate. Sombra."

Fareeha huffed and crossed her arms on her chest and looked all in all as uncomfortable as unhappy. "Don't know what to think of this. I would give a lot to get uncle Gabe back, but... who even is this Sombra?"

Genji sat still as a stone, with his hands folded on the conference table. His whole body radiated too much heat and the vents in his spine made low hissing noises. "The invisible girl", he said stiffly. "The hacker. The last time I saw her she disrupted my fine motor skills. I wasn't able to curl my fingers enough to use my blade."

The Soldier hummed in thought and nodded. "She has a habit to hack and break our equipment, even just for short interruptions. She was also able to get my visor to malfunction."

Torbjörn looked as grumpy as he ever did when somebody talked about damaging equipment. "So, a sly little thing, that one. but the question is, of course you would trust Gabriel", the implied 'you complete moron' didn't go over Jesses head and calmed his soul a little. "But why in heavens name would you ever trust her? She 'is' a Talon agent. A real one, even if we trust Gabriels word."

Jesse didn't want to say it because Genji was agitated enough right now and he still in spite of everything 'wanted' to find his brother. Maybe even needed it. But Jesse had to side with Torbjörn on this one. "It's most likely a set up."  
Again the Soldier hummed in thought. At least it was nice to see that nothing was decided yet. Not like in the old times.  
"Could be", he murmured. "But Sombra was also the one who informed Gabe and me about your exact location when the Deadlock incident happened. And besides from all of that, what if Talon 'gets' their hands on Hanzo Shimada?"

The silence that followed was stifling.  
"Well... ", said Lena in a hesitant tone of voice. "It could end pretty bad for all of us... especially for any civilians near the fight. The Dragons-..."

Genjis visor glimmered in the darkened room and anger hummed in his synthesized voice. "Would you please stop talking about him like he is just a mindless threat or an asset to be used?"

The Soldier tilted his head and watched Genji like a hawk. "Would it be better if we talked about him like the highly dangerous contract killer and committer of fratricide that he is?"

Genji went deadly still, while Lúcio beside him winced and ducked from that figurative blow in sympathy, unsure what to say. "It-... It should be his call if he ever wants to-...", he began, but Soldier waved him off. "The question isn't if Genji wants a meeting to reconcile. The question is, should we step in on a hint that's maybe even a trap, before Talon gets hold of an ancient weapon no one alive does understand very well."

Genji growled low under his breath. "It is not his bow that makes the dragons appear", he said like he was barely able to hold on to his patience. "It's in our blood."

Angela watched Genji in worry. "Yes, but... what do we know about the dragons...? We know that Talon of course would want them because their power can kill so many people at once, but-... "

"We are both more than some senseless weapons to be used!", roared Genji right back agitated like he seldom got these days. Stiffly he stood up and clenched his fists so much, his synthetic joints ground audibly together. Jesse sprung to his feet instantly to reach for him. Interestingly Lúcio was far faster than him. Just the one Hand on his Shoulder got Genjis heaving body to calm down, if even just a little.

The Soldier looked deep in thought as he rubbed his face in a tired gesture. "What are the dragons, anyway?", he huffed and seemed so unwilling to speak it out. Genji just stared.

"While Gabriels wicked state of being and so many rare abilities like Lenas can be explained with advanced science, what even 'are' your dragons, Genji?", The Soldiers eyes turned dark as he spoke. "The power they represent is immense and... what happens to them should one of you die? Can they be used by others against you? Or used against your will?"

Genji stayed silent. And yes, Jesse guessed even he had only a rudimentary understanding of his powers besides the lore and tradition of his family. For all they knew, the Shimada Dragons were simple ancient magic.

Angela rubbed wide eyed over her face and looked like someone who invested obscene amounts of time to answer those questions and never got a scientifically acceptable answer to them.

"In the end", said Reinhardt, "It should be definitely your decision about what step to take, Genji."

"Not only because he is your brother. We wouldn't be able to contain Hanzo if we brought him back to base to keep him safe from Talon", said the Soldier while sounding like he was sunken in deep thought already. "It's a question if Hanzo Shimada is safe enough to be trusted. If you trust him enough to not try to kill you again. Or anyone of us for that matter."

Genji slowly sat down again. Jesse wasn't surprised that he was already sick and tired of this. Genji wanted so much to just make peace with his past. But Jesse wasn't sure if that was something Hanzo wanted. Genji already invited him to choose a side and nothing seemed to have come of it after all.

Zenyatta hummed a deep thought. "You still have time to think about this. We didn't get his location yet."

Genji stared down at the desk and wrung his hands nervously. "How is any of this my decision alone?! If I wanted to get him to safety, would you harbour him here? Would you protect him from Talon and trust him enough to turn your back at him?!"

To his surprise the Soldier just snorted.  
"Would you?"

That got Genjis anger to a sudden halt. The Soldier shook his head. "The list of people I trust is short, Genji and I have no reason at all to trust an assassin. But for all what's good, I will always trust you."

Jesse wanted to wring that old sappy guys neck so damn badly, because if they could trust Genjis judgment of character wasn't even the point. "Just say it!", he grumbled in a pretty bad mood. "For anyone of us, the mission to get him back here would be most likely suicide, anyway!"

The Soldier blinked, seemingly surprised at his outburst and snorted a pretty inappropriate laugh in answer. "That's a fair point, too. If we want to protect Hanzo Shimada, you must be in the escort team, anyway", he said and pointed at Genji. "He doesn't know or trust anyone of us and has no reason to let us go alive when we know where he is hiding. Besides that nobody but you has even seen the guy and knows what to look for."

Well at least in this they all seemed to be one of mind. If somebody should run face first into a drawn dagger, it should be Genji. Great. Jesse wanted to chew through the leather of his hat.

"Also we can't scatter around like headless chicken as long as Talon plans an offensive against us. They would pluck us like daisies", rumbled Reinhardt. The reminder of Talons imminent threat over their heads was also a good point to not react to most likely faulty intel from their enemy at all. Not that anyone on the table seemed to care. Jesse wasn't used to be a voice of reason.

"It would have to be a small team", said the Soldier. "Small enough to go in unnoticed and get the hell out when things get hot."

So, like Blackwatch again. Happy old days.

Lena lifted her hand. "I'll fly!", she said while grinning widely. As if they had some spare pilots just lying around these days. The Soldier rubbed his five o'clock shadow again. "And since the Intel and the responsibility goes on my head, I will..."

"No, you won't", grunted Jesse in sudden hot anger. "I will go with him, fuck you."  
The Soldier blinked in irritation. "McCree...!"  
But Jesse crossed his arms and took his stance clear and confrontational as always. "No!"

Genji stared at him, till he let out a deep huff and looked away. "Jesse, you are embarrassing me."

Jesse snorted and bared his teeth in a grin, daring that guy to say anything more. "Your damn enlightened cyber ninja ass won't go anywhere without me."

At last Ana asked the most important question of them all. "Genji. Do you 'really' want to do this?"  
And Genji answered with a honest and clear. "I want and I will."

That was pretty much the end and conclusion of Operation 'save that dragon boy' team meeting one.

After that long and exhausting argument, Jesse was still not tired enough to 'not' follow his best friend everywhere around base and of course he also told him in great detail all about how mad that reconciliation plan sounded to pretty much anyone but Genji himself, while doing so.

Not that Genji ever listened to him. That damn guy loved to just piss off to the regions of base where Jesse could hardly follow. Usually he also laughed his half omnic ass off while watching Jesses struggles to keep up.

"To follow blindly some random chicks advice will only get you killed even faster!", Jesse called prickly after him, as Genji lifted himself up the wall of the meteorology lab - Jesse took the stairs instead. Always the traditionalist.

He found Genji on the narrow bridge to the satellite antenna. He just sat there, leaned back on his hands and dangled his feet. "You know that I eventually have to", he said wistfully.

Damn, Jesse loved that guy to pieces, but sometimes he felt it would be easier to befriend an actual dragon than appease and understand a trained ninja assassin know-it-all who thought he understood what inner peace looked like.

Jesse never understood this 'be at peace with yourself' stuff. He wasn't really good at it anyway. But he knew that nobody with so much ants in his pants like Genji Shimada should lecture others about erratic and unpredictable behavior.

Rolling his eyes Jesse send a prayer to all of the gods above he could think of and sat down beside him. "And why is that?!", he asked in a mood. Genji looked at him till his attention suddenly got caught by the kids on the street below them. Lúcio told a pretty bad pun, that made Hana laugh so much, she had to lean on Bastion for support as they walked the way to the living spaces.

Most likely it were the shadows on the bridge that made Lúcio look up. Abruptly he stopped in his tracks and just stood there. Genji beside Jesse tilted his body forward and leaned his weight over his elbows onto his knees instead.

As Lúcio got called out by Hana for standing around too long and his sight still lingered on Genji before he suddenly followed in a haste, Jesse wanted mostly to pretend that he didn't see anything. He hummed in embarrassment as he suddenly felt like an invader of a most private moment. Genji didn't seem to care at all.

"You know... the first time people see me, they usually are horrified", Genji said out of nowhere. Jesse grunted in acknowledgement. "They look at me and only see the things that I lost. Like I am now incomplete and in dire need of pity and never ending condolences."

Jesse knew. God, did he know. To his surprise Genji let out a sudden short laugh. A real one. "You know what Lúcio said when we picked him up in Rio the first time? 'Cool man, that's damn impressive! can you change color too?'"

Jesse couldn't not laugh at that. Chuckling he pulled a face. "Really?"

And Genji sounded so damn happy it hurt Jesses bleeding heart. "Oh yes, he did."

"Did you tell him you come also with a lot of other in build enhancements?", Jesse could live with Genjis judging stare if it made him laugh in the end. Giggling they sat side by side and looked out to the sea. Genji let out a deep sigh.  
"He is my brother, Jesse..."

So back to topic number one? Fine by Jesse but somehow this simple statement not only made him irrational angry it also hurt pretty bad. He took a deep breath to calm himself first. "Genji. What did that monk of yours teach you about family bonds again?"

"Relationships by blood don't matter as much as our decisions to hold them in regard", Genji answered instantly. Somehow that made the whole discussion about the second Shimada feel even more like a damn knife to Jesses chest.

"That bastard killed you", Jesse got out through clenched teeth. Genji simply nodded and leaned back to look at the wide open sky. "I didn't forget, Jesse."

Jesses face flushed a deep red as he stammered to get on the right track again. "I-... ", Of course Genji didn't need a reminder about the worst part of his life so far. But he was just so... incredibly eager. And Jesse didn't understand that in the slightest. Under a deep huff he rolled his eyes and murmured an agitated 'am I not enough?!' in so much silent anger. Of course also without any thought, because he just wanted so much to trash someone that he didn't even notice that he had spoken out loud.

He only noticed as he looked up and Genji stared at him eerily still and silent. His trademarked silent look of judgement let Jesses face turn even more red. "What?!"

"You are jealous", Genji sounded in both parts sure and surprised. It was only his astounded tone of voice that halted Jesse from giving him a flat punch right to his helmet. Deeply he breathed in. "I. Am not. Jealous."

Genjis stare wasn't even visible for Jesse, but still he felt it like prickling hot needles on his skin. Genji didn't laugh like expected, though. He just turned his head and looked again down the bridge.

"He won't ever replace you, Jesse. Nobody could do that", he said and at Genjis low chuckle Jesse sensed an buried offense somewhere there. "But he... he is my only link to home. To family... To all the things I lost. And I know he is a lost soul, too."

Jesse huffed and wrinkled his nose in anger as well as in disgust over too much sentiment that clouded Genjis vision. "You talk about him like a lost sheep. Not the dangerous killer he is."

"'We' are dangerous killers, Jesse", Genji replied and... Yes. Well, he was not wrong...

Neither he nor Genji were innocent. So many lives were lost between them, Blackwatch and now even Overwatch. "But", he grumbled. "It's still not the same. That guy was your brother by blood and he still cut you down like a-... "

Still, Jesse had trouble not to envision it in the livid details that he could remember. He had been there after all. Just a rookie, always on the heels of the guy he sometimes liked to think of as his murderous step-dad. He was one of the guys who carried Genji to safety after all. With Angela right next to him. God he would never forget the sound of her hiccups while she cried and Genjis low sobs of pain in utter delirium. Sometimes the noise still haunted his nightmares.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  
"Why do you want to risk your life so damn badly for a violent asshole that didn't do you any good in life."

And risking was right. Even if they got to Hanzo Shimada before Talon, Talon wasn't the only faction who wanted a piece of him. There were always the bounty hunters and lots of spooked assassins of other family clans. The Yakuza and mobsters didn't sleep while Hanzo took them out one by one. Jesse was convinced that they would end up risking their lives and be it on Hanzos bow and arrow. "You saw him last months ago. Are you sure this risk is really worth it?"

Genjis answer was a deep sigh. "Hanamura", he murmured. "Home."  
Like it explained everything.

But the silent longing in Genjis voice made Jesses heart hurt. This damn cyborg ninja just knew him too good. All it needed was Genjis kicked puppy look and Jesse would unasked spring to his feet to defend Genjis honor and give him everything he wanted. Little brothers were a pain.

"I want to make peace with the past", Genji muttered and looked up to the bone white moon above the waters. "I want to make peace with him. After all this time... I feel we deserves it. He deserves it."

Again Jesse could have crunched diamonds between his teeth as his jar locked down in stress and utter incomprehension of Genjis thoughts on this. "He is searching redemption. Who am I to deny him."

Jesse wanted to scream. "His god damn murder victim?!"

Genji stared at him. Jesses right brow twitched in annoyance but Genji just kept on staring motionless. So long and silent till Jesse couldn't handle it any longer and looked away in defeat.

"I hated him so much", said Genji. "For so long I didn't feel anything but rage. It burned me up. It made me exactly to that kind of murder machine I refused to be for my clan in the first place."

And, Jesse thought, a man could just get tired of holding a grudge. Genji sighed. "Will you still come with me?"

Jesse rolled his eyes and laid his hand on Genjis shoulder in a sure and tight grip. "You go without me again and I will get Winston to hand me out one of those EMPs to break your damn balance circuits."

Genji chuckled. "I told you, there are no such circuits. Me knocking you on your ass? That's all 'me'. "

"Keep telling you that."

Both of them took a deep breath as they leaned shoulder to shoulder. Jesse took hold of his hat as a sharp wind swept through the gaps between the base buildings. It brought not only the smell of salt and sea but also one of warmth and a home-cooked meal. They surely were waiting for them in the quarters. Jesse smiled.

"Well, you should clearly ask the guy out", he said in a conversational jump of subject. Genji didn't even stop a beat as he chuckled. "If you give your Hattori guy a call?"

Oh yes, ... that...

"Who do you think did the cooking tonight?"

\------

The next message Sombra send followed only three days later and contained only one word, but it was clearly enough to make Jesses skin crawl.

'Hanamura'.

Hanzo Shimada was currently right at home. Who would have thought. It couldn't be that he actually lived there, since Hanamura was pretty much a prohibited area since the clan was wiped out. Official investigations were still running.

Even Genji was surprised since Hanzo before only showed up there once a year. For Jesse the smell of bullshit got only thicker. But Genji was relentless. In the second meeting they oversaw the Hanamura castle grounds and made out the best way to approach the area. At last Jesse was assigned by Soldier to 'never let that damn cyber ninja out of his sight'. Jesse agreed wholeheartedly even though he knew best it would be pointless.

At the hangar shortly before take off Jesse observed how a nervous looking Lúcio gave something to Genji that looked suspiciously like one of soldiers biotic canisters. Well thanks, that was pretty useful!

Jesse let them be and took his place on the dropship. It didn't need much time for Genji to sit down beside him.  
Jesse snorted. "Did he want to be your Doctor?"  
Genji huffed and pulled the brim of his hat down over his eyes.

"Ready, gents?", asked Lena in her good mood sing-song voice. Genji and Jesse gave their okay and the door closed.

"Do you have a clue how to even find the guy?", Jesse asked as they stepped at the location off the ship, but Genji was too distracted by his surroundings.

They landed on the roof of an arcade parlor with a busy street below even in the deep of the night. Lena was gone before most people even knew what happened but still were there a lot of 'Ooh's and 'Aah's and flashing phone cameras.

Genji stared motionless at the closed off gates of Shimada-Castle just one street away. Jesse knew the pull and the nostalgia of an old home good enough. Like a long abandoned diner in the middle of a desert. But still...

"Let's hope he is still here", said Jesse and took the fire stairs downwards while Genji of course dived head first into the street. There was a Ramenshop with a big colorful murlock on its front. Jesse hoped they didn't put these things in their food. Jesse would rather chew his own leg off than eat another of those. God did he hate murlocks.

"This is ours now", sounded Genjis tinny voice through the ComSign. "The last of the other remaining Shimada Gumi fell some weeks ago. We are the last now, he and I."

Genjis awestruck voice told Jesse more about his state of mind than his words ever could. As the younger brother Genji wouldn't have stood in direct line of inheritance for anything his traditional family valued as important like their home. For Jesse it was weird to imagine that a family clan of more than a hundred men and women, brothers, sisters, cousins and more distant relatives, were just wiped out almost overnight.

"Who's there now?", Jesse asked curiously as he stood before the closed gates of Genjis old home. A low 'wumph' beside him was Genjis sign of appearance as he flopped down from some vantage point.

"Besides him, maybe? It's abandoned. It's rotting", he said bitterly. Jesse stepped forward and knocked against the solid wooden and most importantly closed off entrance. "How do we get in?"  
Genji eyed the Gate and the buildings around it. "Just give me a moment."

Famous last words, huh?  
Should Jesse offer to hold his beer?

Genji prowled along the thick wooden wall to a lonesome tree in front. Up the wall he noticed a way for him, like a window, to climb inside. "This way", he said and pointed with his thumb.  
"Up you go. Chop, chop!"

... Bastard...

While Genji got up there nearly effortless, Jesse held on to thin, as well as shaky branches and scratchy twigs. And even then a pretty high jump was needed for him to pull himself up to the ledge Genji was already standing on. At least the street corner was dark enough that the civilians didn't notice a thing.

Genji chuckled. "Got out of shape there, Cowboy."  
Jesse huffed. "I'm still not used to being right on your damn heels anymore. Now. Tell me about this place."

The last time Jesse was here, he hadn't exactly time to take a look around. While Genji jumped right down the narrow lead, Jesse took a clumsy leap to a wooden balcony of the nearest building.

All what was behind the closed gate laid in pitch black night. There were no lights at all. At least it was easy to find Genji in the dark. The green glow of his outer shell was a pretty good mark, though... Maybe it wasn't the best Idea to let him search for his murderous sniper-brother in the dark of night.

"Before... It had a lot more ... Life to it", Genji struggled to find the right words, but Jesse felt like he already got the Idea. The castle, even in the dark of night, was beautiful to look at. The surrounding buildings were ancient and the theme of mighty dragons was strong and everywhere.

But now it mostly felt sterile and kind of broken. The buildings and rooms, most of them without any closed doors, were empty and lifeless. There weren't people around to guard the grounds like the last time Genji told him about. It was eerily quiet.

The big bell that hung in the pavilion right beside them produced a low hum in the wind, but aside from that it was unnervingly silent despite the busy streets just one gateway away.

"Come", Genji waved him by and pointed through another, a lot smaller gate to the biggest building in the background. "If he's here, he will be in there... I almost forgot how big this place is..."

In awe he stepped in front of the wide open castle entrance. Jesse was sure for a moment that Genji would just climb up and bounce out of sight again, like the pain in the ass he usually was. This time through, he just set a hesitant step over the threshold and stopped again like he was vary of traps and alarmed guards. Nothing at all happened.

Genji huffed in frustrated anger.  
"I'm still scared of this place."

Well Jesse surely would never fault him for that. "Whatever happens - 'Should' something happen, I will always be just one step behind you", he said in earnest. Genji turned with a sniff. "I pretty much doubt that, McCree. "

Jesses Face went flaming red. "I am not that out of shape you damn cyborg ninja!!"

It wasn't much fun to compete with a guy who wasn't even able of getting tired anymore. They both got too old for that, anyway.

Genji laughed and lead the way, at least a lot more relaxed than before. Jesse followed him over a wooden bridge to a room that looked a lot like a memorial. Badly faded paintings of fighting Dragons graced the walls. Yes, this was where it had happened, Jesse remembered.

"Hanzo Shimada?!", he called out loudly, just because. Jesse didn't know much about the guy, didn't ever see him. But the way Genji talked about him, he didn't seem the type to just silently vanish when people openly challenged him.

Like Genji did, that time.

But the hall remained empty. Not even footsteps could be heard besides Jesses own. Fucking ninjas.

Genji sighed defeated. "He's already gone... "

Jesse of course didn't say it out loud. He still felt kind of relieved, though. But he didn't like at all how Genjis shoulders sagged or how he bowed his head defeated in front of the Katana on the pedestal. He looked so crestfallen, it made Jesses heart hurt.

"Come now", he tried in a hopefully lighthearted manner. "Some guys are just a bit late. And this place is big. We stay for a while and see, huh?"

Genji didn't reply but continued to stare down the shrine - till he did this wide and calm gesture and sat down for meditation. "Yeah, leave me all on my own, won't you", Jesse grumbled and while his proposal to wait and see had come in earnest, he still felt way too antsy to just sit and wait around in this stifling silence. So he went through the wide doorway to his left and strolled over a beautiful but creaky gallery that had a wide open look over all of Hanamura. What a beauty.

The lights of the city behind the great stone walls glimpsed like stars in pretty colors. Jesse went on careful steps to the railing and looked down the moat. It was unnervingly deep. He tried to imagine how some guys in armor and swords, maybe on horses, tried to lay siege to this place. Or to blow up the massive walls with gunpowder and oil. How many people may had stood before him in this place, right here at the railing?

The long history of Shimada castle felt suddenly oppressive and in a way like a shroud. No wonder Genji was so out of sorts when even Jesse felt uncomfortable at this place.

In deep thought he went inside again. He wasn't really that surprised that Genji vanished in his absence. That damn ninja.

Jesse huffed in irritation, but wasn't much concerned. It was still quiet and there was no movement in the dark. He gave Genji a message over their ComSigns instead of searching his ass off. 'Just call should you need me'.

He still had the feeling, that Genji most likely wouldn't, even if he was about to die. Not only out of ego, but because they both knew in this kind of setting Jesse was at a tremendous disadvantage. He wasn't really here to help Genji to fight. Jesse was here to make sure Genji didn't forget the home and the brother he could always turn to, even if 'the real thing' didn't want him. Emotional support and all. Hah, he really was just the type.

So, alone in this big ass castle, Jesse went to explore and kept an eye out for wandering strangers. But there was surprisingly little to see. The castle was looted of its treasures long ago. In the end he sat down under the pavilion and leaned against the humming bell, where he had the entrance clear in sight. His ComSign laid on his hat right in his lap should Genji need him.

Jesse for his part just waited and listened. He felt the low hum of the bell deep in his bones. It felt kind of hypnotic. He didn't get much sleep through his worries in the last few days and the darkness lulled him in to just rest his eyes for a while.

Maybe he fell asleep there.  
The almost soundless steps he heard come nearer were a relic of good times long gone. Couldn't be.

Hattori went in a crouch in front of him and touched his shoulder like he was made of glass. Jesse blinked his eyes open. "Well didn't see 'that' coming. "

Hattori smiled in that special crooked manner of his. "Joel...What do you even 'do' out here? Searching for me?"

Jesse indulged in a little stare at Hattoris still so handsome face. He didn't remember the piercings, though. His beard was also cut a lot cleaner. He was still so pretty. Jesse wanted to tug the band from his neck and see his glossy black hair fall. It made him chuckle in so much satisfaction as he spotted some lovely wisps of grey.

"You look good", he murmured with a feeling of peace and reverence. He looked well and healthy, even though his left arm was still in bandages. But he didn't hold it in a sling anymore. "Knew you would."

Hattori snorted a laugh and while it wasn't the prettiest sound he could make, his following smile lit up his whole face. "What, that I would look good?"

Jesse chuckled and felt so much joy over his long lost lovers so unfamiliar step up in confidence. Hattori had never been good with that. A right trembling nervous mess of a man, who had a bad habit to never stay sober enough to think much about anything. "That you would make it", Jesse muttered while he leaned in and ghosted a kiss to Hattoris ridiculously high cheekbone. "You would be alright, even without me", he exhaled and leaned grinning widely back against the bell. "Because you are just made of better stuff. "

Hattori looked at him like he found a thick ugly fly in his soup and wrinkled his nose with an aura of pure disgust. "You are just so..."

"Deeply romantic at heart?", Jesse grinned. Hattori showed himself unimpressed. "I guess anybody who plays dress up as a western dream cowboy has to be one, somehow. "

despite his antics Hattori sat down beside him and wasted no time in playing pretend, just leaned his warm weight right into Jesses side. The bag he held in his hand crinkled silently as he laid it aside. There was no time lost, no remorse over old days. They were always just two lost souls. And they fit instantly the moment they locked eyes. Every single time.

"I'm still not a good man, Joel."

Jesse grinned widely and narrowed his eyes like a cat. "Oh yes, I know though personal experience pretty well, you are in fact a very bad man, indeed...", he drawled and Hattori looked at him almost in affront with a lovely blush on his face, be it from anger or pure embarrassment. But he still couldn't hide his daft grin. Jesse loved it.

"Maybe not good. But strong. You are still alive and kicking. I'm so proud of you", Jesse murmured as he tilted his head and brushed a kiss to Hattoris neck. Hattoris head shot up as he turned to stare wide eyed, looking so 'caught', into Jesses openly smiling face.

"I-... I didn't...", he stammered, but Jesse had none of it. "Don't lie. Not to me and especially not to yourself", he said while lifting his left hand. It was weird that he so soon forgot the cold metal that was left of it. But Hattori didn't care. He leaned into the soft touch anyway, even if the cold of the prosthetic made him shudder.

"I-... ", Hattori faltered. Defeated his look fell to the ground and he huffed a deep and angry sigh. "I didn't want to die alone... ", he muttered. Jesse hummed and he understood well. "You don't have to, Darling. Just call me back to you."

Hattori sniffed in irritation but tilted his head just this little bit more till his forehead rested lovingly against Jesses. "Joel... Thank you... "

Jesse smiled so much his face felt unfamiliar to himself. His right arm crept around Hattoris shoulders and he whispered lovingly against quivering lips. "Hattori..."

Only as the ComSign in his lap made a distinctive beeping noise, Jesse got enough of that cotton wool out of his head again to get ripped right out of his dream-like state. The badge lit up as Genji called out. Genji. The damn mission. He almost forgot. But... well...

"Is that another one?", asked Hattori with a deep sigh of disappointment. Jesse blinked a few more times till he felt sure enough to look at him. Staring at him like he saw him for the first time. "I-... Yes... Of course. We all have to have one. No agent without it."

Hattori snorted as he noticed Jesses lingering gaze.  
"You were daydreaming again, weren't you?", he didn't need an answer for that. "...'Agent'...", Hattori wrinkled his nose like he used a dirty word. "Never liked this 'mysterious stranger turns out to be a secret Agent' cliche."

Still, his grumbling made Jesse laugh.

"I know, too bad I wrote about it so often."

But Genji was calling, so he had to answer and break this little domestic spell of theirs. It was just a trick of memory after all and Jesse realized the man at his side was that kind of dead dangerous you would tell your kids in horrific tales about to scare them into compliance.

His left hand curled in a way too protective gesture around Hattoris shoulders as he activated the ComLink with his right. "McCree here", he drawled and his voice took a dark tone. This would all end badly. Oh so really fucking badly.

Genjis tinny voice sounded so excited it nearly cut over Jesse's. "I found his bow. Stormbow is here. He can't be far away!"

The warm body at his side went rigid. Jesses arm curled around Hattoris middle while his thumb traced loving circles onto his body. He hummed deeply in acknowledgement. "Guess you're right there."

"We have to find-... We have to get him 'home', Jesse. We just 'have' to!"

Jesse felt remorseful, but he thought it to be better not to tell him instantly about the lost brother literally right at Jesses side. Not yet. "Will do my best, partner."

"I will obtain a lookout on the streets. You stay inside there, just-... Just stay put and call me instantly if he comes back. Call me!"

Again Jesse nodded. "Of course."

Well, if that wasn't something. Jesses perception of reality got pretty rattled there. Especially because the guy he loved dearly, that sat by his side at this very moment white as a sheet, was also a potentially dangerous and murderous ninja assassin that ripped apart his own family clan and killed his own brother in the process.

"You know", he said lowly and still sensed the dark humor in it all. "Even with all that I saw while I got Genji out, with all the stories I heard - it was all considered so. much. above my pay grade. I never saw files about it, I were never a part of the meetings and investigations. And Genji himself didn't have any reminders left. So I never got to put a face to Genjis murderer. Hanzo Shimada."

Hattoris suddenly ice-cold fingers clawed so deep into Jesses serape, they scratched hard over his safety vest. "You", he croaked and had to stop to get his voice back. "You are one of... Of them. Overwatch... "

Jesse hummed, but he didn't let go of Hattoris - of Hanzos - waist. He didn't gave a confirmation because right now it wasn't needed. "The names McCree. Jesse."

He took a deep breath till he leaned in and tugged Hattori in a nice warm hug. Like that one time years ago. He hummed deep as he closed his eyes, grabbed his own wrist on Hattoris lower back. He could feel his bewildered stare like a physical thing on his skin, but he didn't care. He just wanted to have that little bit of peace before reality would set in and ruin years of what Jesse called to this day his most memorable relationship.

With a wreck of a man, but still loving stranger, that once nearly killed Jesses best friend and left him to die. Gosh, why weren't things ever easy.

"You should know, that I love Genji dearly."

He felt the man flinch like being stabbed.  
"...Joel... I-... "  
"If there ever was a scenario were I had to chose with whom to side, it would 'always' be with him", he said while opening his eyes. Hanzo Shimada looked like he wasn't that much away from throwing up in anguish. Jesse didn't stop.

"He is-... I think of him as my brother, too. You should know that should you ever decide to hurt him again, I will be right behind him and I 'will' take you out. "

Hattori - Hanzo - breathed way too fast and shallow and Jesse could feel the trapped energy in his quivering muscles, especially his legs as he was fighting the instinct to spring up and flee.

"There wont-... ", he croaked. "There won't be another... You won't have any reason to-... Joel... "  
With hitching breaths his head sank down on Jesses shoulder.

Jesse felt so out of sorts. He was burning with so much well justified anger, but was also filled with mind numbing relieve because Hattori was still alive. He sighed deeply. "It would be so much simpler if I could just meet you and hate your guts for obvious reasons... ", he drawled while anger made his face prickle.

Hattori buried his fingers into his shoulders. "You don't...?", he muttered in a dark tone of voice that sounded so much like despair.  
Jesse huffed. "Of course I don't, emo boy. I missed you and your damn antics too much. I... I was frightened if I searched for you again I would only find an abandoned house and a footnote in the local newspaper about the latest suicide. You damn rock head were always so proud. I gave you that old badge for a reason, but you would never -..."

"Shhh!"

Irritated Jesse wanted to hiss a 'don't shhh me!' right back, but then he heard it, too. In the not so far distance sounded the steady noise of rotor blades. Something big was coming. "It's a dropship...", Jesse murmured as the hum in the air got louder still. "And it's for sure none of ours."

And as it got in sight it got even worse. This was a carrier. The kind of thing Jesse saw last in Venice, just way bigger. From the opened doors it rained Talon operatives in their funny red armor, armed to their teeth. They swarmed the place, took position and covered every way out while two heavy assault tanks landed right by the gate.

Jesse stood up slowly while putting his hat on and without leaving the nearest of them ever out of his sight. Hattori warily scrutinized their foes with a trained archers eye while he got to his feet, too. "Joel... I guess this are the bad guys?"

Jesse wrinkled his nose. "If they don't piss off, I will show them what a bad man looks like..."

Even through he was most likely about to die. There were way too many for him alone to take and those tanks... the memory of those alone was bad enough to make him break out in cold sweat. It was a wonder he didn't lose his arm back 'then'...

The last guy who got out of the ship, right to the center of the courtyard, was a giant and almost comically big. He wore the same armor and held the same weaponry - and he was the boss apparently. "Hanzo Shimada?", he yelled over the racket of whirling rotor blades. At least the Ship took a turn and the pilot navigated it up and out of sight.

It was a bit cute how fast Hattori stood to attention - especially as he stepped in front of Jesse as if he could shield him.

"...who are you and your intruders?", he asked, most likely just playing for time and looking for a still open way out. Big Boss didn't care much. "Oh, we are just messengers. We are here to break you a pretty good deal, now that the Shimadas are nearly extinct. Isn't it in your interest to get your old business running again? Talon will aid you."

Jesse didn't like at all how still Hattori went. He always talked about family business and how he ruined everything, from his own life to that of others... Well, now things got pretty clear. But the longing for a second chance in his eyes when he talked... And now someone presented him with the biggest opportunity he would ever need.

It was funny how Jesse wasn't even done with his thought as Hattori hissed back at the Talon captain, quick like a snake. "I don't need aid to keep what is rightfully 'mine'", he spoke in a vicious and kind of dangerous manner. "This grounds you and your faceless goons are stomping on are my possession and all what I could want. You are an uninvited guest."

Yes! Tell them, Darling!

The Talon Captain chuckled as if Hattori told a witty Joke. "Oh, don't 'be' like that. We have some good and convincing -... Well shoot my pony if that isn't Jesse McCree."

Oh...? Jesse smiled as smug as ever as he stepped forward at Hattoris side. He loved to get recognized, a thing he surely had in common with Gabriel Reyes. It made him a proud and handsome fella, but a very poor secret agent. Well he wasn't really made for that, was he? How many cowboys worked in the secret agent business anyway?

"The one and only. "  
His grin got only wider as he heard Hattori groan beside him. The Talon Captain, a bulky fucker that reminded Jesse of a balloon animal, wasn't that of a problem. Those types usually weren't even half as strong and fast as they looked. The problem was the laser sight that hovered right over Hattori chest.

"Who even 'is' this guy?!", whispered Hattori right through his teeth. "...Absolutely no Idea...", still, Jesse waved a polite hello. "Howdy, partner. It would be a lot easier on you if you told him what to expect when you talk about aid."

Yes, Jesse was a bit snarky, but bad guys had it coming, alright. And if the Captain would rant on about Talons hopeful genocidal plans for the new and improved mankind, it would be a sure way to get Hattori to absolutely despise his guts.  
But the fucker only grinned and made pretty clear that he personally felt no weight in Hattoris decision either way. Damn mercenaries.

"Not being hunted anymore by the state, Overwatch and Talon combined isn't a big enough treat already?"

...

Well, huh. That was a good point. Aside from the notion that Overwatch never hunted Hanzo. At least not in the way Talon seemed to be informed.

But of course Hattori wasn't impressed by this 'we will protect our precious' bullshit. He didn't even look slightly intimidated or allured. He just looked so damn well tired of everything, but not in the aloof way of a seasoned ninja assassin. Just like the tired out soul Jesse found sitting on the railing of a bridge some time ago in Nagoya.

"I lived my life in solitary silence for the last fifteen years without help of any kind", if he wasn't fibbing a little bit here. "Why would I care for you? Hanamura castle is lost and I am the -.... the last one left. There would be no benefit for family and clan out of this kind of alliance. They are all dead after all. There is no point in reviving 'my business' and there is no power behind me joining you, anyway. "

Captain balloon guy wasn't convinced. He looked downright bored. "All of us know this isn't quite true, isn't it. The dragons-... "

Hattoris face went aflame in sudden wrath and his usually so sorrowful eyes glimmered in anger like fire and ice combined. "One of them died through my own hands and the others won't be your leashed beasts to take and control!"

"Don't worry, brother. They won't."

Genji shot out of the darkness like green lightning with the sound of a drawn blade. Jesses pupils contracted to pinpoints as time slowed down and his heart swelled with the rush of adrenaline in his veins. Out of all the out in the open targets he picked six of those in his vision. "Step right up, gents", he drawled in concentration before he whirled his trusted peacekeeper right into action. "DRAW!"

Five of his targets hit the ground instantly, but that damn Captain, unfortunately, had reflexes like a lynx and ducked behind that damn, daft good for nothing rock in the middle of the yard. Genji meanwhile slashed through them like a force of nature.

Suddenly Hattori grabbed Jesse by the shoulder and pulled him back. "Sniper!"

A bullet the size of his thumb whistled by Jesses head, missing him just barely, and it was the dreaded sound of a too well known rifle that made Jesses skin crawl. "Watch out!"

Jesse lifted on his retreat backwards his arm scarcely fast enough to parry another shot. The bullet tore through dense metal like through warm butter. He could have sworn this shot had still been well calculated despite being non lethal, because the resulting shrapnel locked the fine tuned mechanisms of his prosthetic left hand into place. Jesse could no longer curl his fingers. Not only that, it actually hurt burning hot and bright like lightning.

While Jesse screamed in anguish and grabbed his damn useless arm, Hattori wrenched him back by his serape and pulled him in a safe corner behind the dense wood of the pavilion.  
Too many bullets buried into splintering wood and grazed the bell. Jesse got himself just barely in time in front of Hattori to work as a shield for the ricochets. It wasn't his luckiest day, he thought as two kicked off bullets tore right under his right knee and into his damn right shoulder. He couldn't even breath so intense was the pain of raw and bloody nerve endings. He didn't hear anything but his own blood rushing through his ears. As he blinked through the fog of pain, Hattori held his badge and screamed like a madman. "We need backup instantly!"

Captain Talon and his guys, still shooting everything to bits in the background, gave the situation enough weight that Lena didn't even question the unfamiliar voice. "Right on my way, boys. I can see them! I won't be able to land without them bombing the bloody hell out of us, though!"

Hattori was furious. "You useless fool, I don't care! Take the southern castle wall. There is nothing but wide open space covered by the temple bell, we can easily-..."

"The dragon becomes me!"

Hattori looked like he almost broke his neck, so fast whipped his head around. Genji, even with his katana and his endless ability to dash and dodge, was hard pressed to get near enough to just slash the agents down. "ROAR!", was his battle cry.

In retaliation Talon opened curtain fire like they were in a war zone. Jesse wretched Hattori back by his collar just fast enough for the bullet rain to miss his head. "Get here now, you imbecile, we are DYING! ", cried Hattori into the badge.

Jesse heard the tell-tale noise of dozens of reflected bullets, as Genjis cybernetics went into hyper drive to protect himself from heavy assault fire that cut through dense wood and stone as if it was made of tissue paper.

Like a green flash he was suddenly there, ducking the ricochets with heaving shoulders and tinny sounding gasps. "Brother!"

Hattori just turned fast enough to catch Stormbow from Genjis Hands. "No arrows, though. Hah, you are the useless one this time!"  
Jesse would just have flicked blood in his general direction if he didn't feel so disoriented already. As Genji noticed Jesses useless state he went still as stone. "Shit!"

Jesse didn't even really know what happened as a warm yellow glow suddenly lulled him in, but the pain especially in his left arm, just didn't vanish. "Fuck that", he cried, stumbling over his own tongue. "Don't need a medic, I need a fuckin mechanic...!"  
Genji grabbed for his right arm - ... A dense metal object clashed with the bell behind them and rolled right into their direction.

A grenade. Jesse sat up to grab for Hattori to somehow at least to try to shield him. But instead of an explosion there was just a prickling wave of heat.

Genji screamed in utter agony. His hunched body hit the floor as synthetic muscles convulsed out of control and went lame just a second later. His voice broke in static and went silent and Jesse heaved in high risen panic because he was so sure he just watched Genji 'die' there.

"You have to get out, now!", screeched Jesse with ringing ears over the deafening racket at the same time as Lena got in position. Instantly bullets sprayed the cladding of the dropship while Talon agents spread out to get inside the pavilion and shoot their guts out.

Hattoris ghostly white face pulled into a murderous scowl. "We will-... ", he started but Jesse cut him off. "No, 'you' will! I can't shoot for shit like this and I will slow you down enough to get your back full of lead. Get the fuck OUT!"

Hattori raged like a demonic entity as ancient powers set his skin aflame in burning cold ice. "I will not leave you to-... "

Jesse had so damn much enough of this. "Shut the FUCK up! You will do as I say, don't compel me to beat your lost sense back into you like you still deserve, 'Hanzo'!"

He saw how hard that blow hit the mark. But it got Hattori to get his shit together and think, even if he looked like a pestilent threat to mankind while doing so. But Jesse wasn't even done. "You fuckin 'owe' me! You owe 'Genji'! So get your head out of your arse, gather him up and RUN!"

Hattori stared him down and his gaze blinked over his shoulder as the Talon Captains shouted order got the bullet rain to stop. But it also brought on the nearing footsteps of marching soldiers. Hattori eyes flickered to Genji. As he turned back his voice didn't sound much human at all.

"I will get you home", he growled right before he wrenched Jesse out of balance into his space. He kissed Jesse in the same hungry and touch deprived way he always did. A taste of bitterness and desperation clung to his lips.

Then he dragged Genjis still body in fast and efficient movements on his back, held in place by his bow and ran as fast and nimble as a deer. Bullets whistled after them, but Hattori got a wickedly wide range in his last jump and got on that damn ship, that still was under heavy fire. Lena made a sharp turn as the door closed and let the engine howl.

Jesse blinked hazily as he watched them making quick space between them and their attackers. He still felt kind of dazed. So much so, that he shot the first Talon agent who crossed his line of sight by pure reflex.

They knew one of them was left behind, anyway.

And that Talon Captain? Well, Jesse had a feeling that that Jolly fucker knew exactly how many bullets he had left.


End file.
